Liberty Baseball to Open 2018 Season by Hosting VCU
2/15/2018 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
VCU AT LIBERTY
Feb. 16-18
Liberty Baseball Stadium
Lynchburg, Va.
Friday – 3 p.m.
Saturday – 2 p.m.
Sunday - 1 p.m.
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Quick Hits
• Liberty will open its 2018 season by hosting the VCU Rams at Liberty Baseball Stadium for a three-game series, Friday-Sunday. It is the first time in 13 years and the 18th time in program history that the Flames have opened at home. The last time was in 2005.
• Friday's meeting will be the 46th season opener in Liberty history. The Flames have posted a 25-18 mark in openers. Liberty is 12-5 when opening the season at home.
• VCU and Liberty met twice last season, splitting a two-game series, May 13-14. The Rams lead the all-time series, 30-25.
• Liberty was picked to finish second in the 2018 Big South Preseason Poll by the league's head coaches. In addition, Liberty outfielder D.J. Artis was tabbed the 2018 Big South Preseason Player of the Year.
• Liberty is 4-1 at Liberty Baseball Stadium and 32-11 all-time in home openers. The Flames posted a 15-11 mark at Liberty Baseball Stadium last season.
• The Flames are in their second season under Head Coach Scott Jackson. He led Liberty to a 32-23 record last season.
• While this is the earliest meeting between the two teams during each of their prospective campaigns, it is not the earliest date that the two have ever met on the diamond. VCU and Liberty met on Feb. 15, 2006 at the Flames' Worthington Stadium with the Rams defeating the Flames, 4-2, in 10 innings. It was the fourth game of the season for both teams. The weather that day was 62 degrees and sunny.
• While this is the earliest meeting between the two teams during each of their prospective campaigns, it is not the earliest date that the two have ever met on the diamond. VCU and Liberty met on Feb. 15, 2006 at the Flames' Worthington Stadium with the Rams defeating the Flames, 4-2, in 10 innings. It was the fourth game of the season for both teams. The weather that day was 62 degrees and sunny.
For Openers
Friday's game will be the 46th season opener in Liberty baseball program history. Liberty enters the season lid-lifter
with a 25-18 mark in openers since 1976 (no records for 1974 or 1975).
The Flames will enter Friday's contest having lost five consecutive season openers. Liberty has not won a season opener since defeating Richmond, 12-0, at The Citadel Challenge at Riley Park in Charleston, S.C., on Feb. 17, 2012. Last season, Liberty fell 10-2 to then-No. 16 Virginia at the Charleston Crabhouse Challenge at Riley Park.
For the first time in 13 years and the 18th time in program history, Liberty opens its season in Lynchburg. The Flames have never hosted a season opener at the Liberty Baseball Stadium. The last time the Flames began a campaign at home was in 2005, defeating Old Dominion, 7-6, at Worthington Stadium on Feb. 15. Liberty is 12-5 in season openers in Lynchburg with those games coming either at Worthing Stadium on campus or City Stadium in downtown Lynchburg.
Liberty is 4-1 in home openers at Liberty Baseball Stadium and 32-11 overall. Last season, the Flames defeated Kentucky,5-4, on Feb. 22 in their home opener on Feb. 22.
with a 25-18 mark in openers since 1976 (no records for 1974 or 1975).
The Flames will enter Friday's contest having lost five consecutive season openers. Liberty has not won a season opener since defeating Richmond, 12-0, at The Citadel Challenge at Riley Park in Charleston, S.C., on Feb. 17, 2012. Last season, Liberty fell 10-2 to then-No. 16 Virginia at the Charleston Crabhouse Challenge at Riley Park.
For the first time in 13 years and the 18th time in program history, Liberty opens its season in Lynchburg. The Flames have never hosted a season opener at the Liberty Baseball Stadium. The last time the Flames began a campaign at home was in 2005, defeating Old Dominion, 7-6, at Worthington Stadium on Feb. 15. Liberty is 12-5 in season openers in Lynchburg with those games coming either at Worthing Stadium on campus or City Stadium in downtown Lynchburg.
Liberty is 4-1 in home openers at Liberty Baseball Stadium and 32-11 overall. Last season, the Flames defeated Kentucky,5-4, on Feb. 22 in their home opener on Feb. 22.
Liberty Picked Second in Big South Preseason Poll
Liberty has been picked to finish second in the conference standings in the 2018 Big South Preseason Poll by the
league's head coaches. Liberty received 81 points in being picked to finish the league's regular season in second place behind conference favorite Winthrop. The Flames also garnered two of the 10 first place votes.
Meanwhile, Liberty outfielder D.J. Artis was tabbed the Preseason Big South Player of the Year, while Winthrop right
hander Nate Pawelczyk was named the Big South Pitcher of the Year.
league's head coaches. Liberty received 81 points in being picked to finish the league's regular season in second place behind conference favorite Winthrop. The Flames also garnered two of the 10 first place votes.
Meanwhile, Liberty outfielder D.J. Artis was tabbed the Preseason Big South Player of the Year, while Winthrop right
hander Nate Pawelczyk was named the Big South Pitcher of the Year.
Liberty to Host Big South Baseball Championship
The Big South Conference has announced has announced that the Liberty Baseball Stadium will host the conference's 2018 Baseball Championship. The eight-team, double-elimination tournament will be played on-campus at the 2,500-seat Liberty Baseball Stadium, May 22-26, with the winner receiving the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Regionals.
This will be the second time the ballpark will host the Big South Baseball Championship, as the first was during the
facility's inaugural season of 2013. That year, Liberty won the title as the No. 5 seed to mark the first time in 21 years that the tournament's host won the crown.
The 2018 Big South Baseball Championship will have 10 games over its first three days, May 22-24, with live television coverage on the Big South Network. Game broadcasts for May 25 (anywhere from 2-4 games as needed) will be shown on ESPN3. The "Winner-Take-All" Championship Game on the final day, May 26 will air on one of the ESPN platforms.
This will be the second time the ballpark will host the Big South Baseball Championship, as the first was during the
facility's inaugural season of 2013. That year, Liberty won the title as the No. 5 seed to mark the first time in 21 years that the tournament's host won the crown.
The 2018 Big South Baseball Championship will have 10 games over its first three days, May 22-24, with live television coverage on the Big South Network. Game broadcasts for May 25 (anywhere from 2-4 games as needed) will be shown on ESPN3. The "Winner-Take-All" Championship Game on the final day, May 26 will air on one of the ESPN platforms.
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